A Reader’s Dilemma

Being back in school is great.  The semester has started pretty well, there is just one little problem I am having:  there is just SO much reading to do.  Readers of this site know that I love to read, but I am not enjoying this workload.

Much of the reading I have to do is textbook reading which is very boring.  Unless you find that certain textbook author (whom I have yet to come across) textbooks are pretty lifeless.  Even if they are describing something amazing.

The textbooks aren’t really the issue for me, though.  I skim them, rather than get in-depth with the reading assignments.  It’s being forced to read other books–in the case of my Literature class, they are classic novels.  Reading for pleasure is one thing, but being required to read a novel, with time constraints, is another animal altogether (when coupled with other readings, there just never seems to be enough time).

There are three novels I will be reading for my class: The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton, A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway and Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston. I am also reading, for my Anthropology class, a fascinating look at the ancestors of humankind called Our Kind, by Marvin Harris.

We received our assignment for The House of Mirth just days ago.  I am halfway through the novel, and need to be done by Tuesday.  I just can’t bring myself to stick with it.  I feel like my brain is rebelling.  Does anyone else have this issue?  I’d like to hear about how you wonderful readers deal with it.

The good thing about this assignment is, that it’s a book review.  After I finish (Fates willing) The House of Mirth, I get to write a review of it.  If there is one thing I enjoy, is reviewing!  And getting a grade for it can’t hurt.

The Sheriff of Yrnameer, a review

The cover of my copy is silver... Not that that means anything

So, I missed a post last week because I was pretty sick from Thursday on.  Feeling much (much much!) better now, and decided to get on here and do another review.  I am not exactly sure how regularly I will be writing starting next week, as the semester starts back up, but I’ll do what I can!

The Sheriff of Yrnameer was the very first novel by Michael Rubens.  It is set in the distant future.  It centers around a fairly pathetic space pilot/smuggler named Cole.  He’s one of those characters that aspires to be Han Solo like, thinking he’s got everything going for him, but he’s more like Fry from Futurama.

In fact, the whole of Rubens’ future is similar to Futurama–in a good way.

Basically all the worst things happen to Cole.  He is captured by an alien bounty hunter who wants nothing more to lay his eggs in Cole’s brain; the girl of his dreams leaves him for his alien sidekick; and his precious ship is vaporized because he didn’t make it to the parking meter in time.  All of this terrible stuff happens in the first few chapters.

When Cole overhears his rival’s plan to take on a cargo and a couple passengers, he decides he wants in on the action.  After knocking his rival out, he steal his ship, and begins an adventure that takes him out of civilized space.  The group, with a cargo of freeze-dried orphans in tow, encounter cannibalistic business men, ornery grey aliens, and the same bounty hunter that was after Cole from the start.

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The Story of Sushi, a review

I’ll be completely honest, when I picked up Trevor Corson’s book, The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice, I expected a grand historical account of sushi throughout the ages.  What I didn’t expect, and what the book offered to me, was a story–though true to life–about a young woman’s struggle at a school where sushi chefs learn their trade.

I picked it up, a little wary.  I’ll admit that I didn’t read what this book was about.  I honestly decided to read it, hoping for some history on sushi.  After the first few pages, I was hooked.  That lase sentence may come across as a terrible pun, considering the book has a fish on the cover.  For that, I apologize.

The story is set in California.  More specifically, the California Sushi Academy in a restaurant called Hama Hermosa.  It follows a few students, and the instructors, of what was the last class the Academy held before Hama Hermosa was closed.  (It’s since moved to another restaurant.)

Corson does a wonderful job of blending the story aspect, following the students/instructors, and giving his readers a history lesson in sushi.  When a new fish, or sushi style is introduced, the chapter it appears in tells about how it came about to be a sushi topping or style.  Corson did a lot of research for this book, and it shows.

I enjoyed the blending of the two styles.  It was written like it was half novel and half sushi encyclopedia!

After reading it, I learned that Corson also has a book called The Secret Lives of Lobsters. I am eager to find a copy, and read that one, as well.

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, a review

“A bluebear has twenty-seven lives.  I shall recount thirteen and a half of them in this book, but keep quiet about the rest…”  So begins one of the most creative books I have ever had the chance to read. The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, written by Walter Moers, is touted as “Equal parts J.K. Rowling, Douglas Adams and Shel Siverstein.”  This description is absolutely true.

The story begins with a preface from the good ol’ Captain, and soon begins with his adventures just after birth.  Each of the chapters following, delve into on of Bluebear’s “lives”.  By life, the author means different ways that Bluebear has lived and learned.  He starts by…well…being born, of course.

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Semester’s end…

Today was officially the last day of lecture on campus.  And I am quite happy.  While my jubilation might be a bit…early (I still have finals to contend with), I am looking forward to the winter break.  It’s going to be a great time to spend reading and catching up on some movies/TV/whatever have you that I haven’t been able to read/watch/etc.

I will some fodder for articles here on the site after Christmas (since I asked my mother for some new books to read as gifts).  You can look forward to–and I know this, because I had to place the order for the books–reviews for The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall (another in the Vish Puri series that I covered before), The Sheriff of Yrnameer by Michael Rubens and The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson.

I look forward to reading these books, and sharing my opinion of them with you.  Until then, I am going to try to post here and there to keep myself writing for the site, and let you know what’s going on.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a quick look

About 900% of this movie took place in this forest...

Let me get this out of the way: I don’t want to write a movie review on this, so I won’t.  This won’t be a review in the strict sense of the word.  I am not going to pick it apart, scene by scene, etc.  I am just going to state a few things.  I know I am late on this bandwagon–especially considering I went to a midnight showing of the movie last week–but I feel some things need to be talked about.

Since I am not in a tryptopha-induced coma (and my originally planned shopping excursion has petered out), I figured now would be a good time to talk about it.  Sadly, this write-up doesn’t fulfill my normal Thursday writing schedule.  Anyway, on to the movie.

The short of it is, I really enjoyed this movie.  A lot.  There are completely intense moments in this movie, and it’s so very dark, especially when compared to the rest of the series.  It is a marked improvement from the last film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  Deathly Hallows is much more faithful to the source material–and it can be, since it’s split into two separate movies.

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Outlook on my future postings

Yes, I know this isn’t a blog that’s reviewing something.  I guess you can think of this as a promise.  A promise that I will (very soon) have some topics worth writing about.

One thing I will definitely be looking at is the newest release in the Harry Potter movie franchise: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.  I am going to see it tonight, with my sister.  Sometime tomorrow–after classes, and when I am more coherent–I will post some thoughts about it.

I should also be posting a review of Lafcadio Hearn’s In Ghostly Japan soon, as well.  I am reading it for a paper I am writing for Geography (the paper is about spiritual Japan), and am really enjoying it.

I don’t think I will have the chance to post anything over the Thanksgiving holiday, as I have the aforementioned paper, and another one (about Anthem) due just after the holiday break.  If I don’t have a  chance to post, I wish you all the best over your holiday!

My first foray into Ayn Rand–a review of Anthem

The story is not as boring as the cover...

I like to think of myself as an equal-opportunity reader.  I’ll give (most) anything a fighting chance, as long as it hooks me.  I mean, I read a story about the creation of The Oxford English Dictionary (The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester.  READ IT!), and it was great!  Why, then, did I find myself shying away from Ayn Rand?

I have friends who have tried, and have given up, to read both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged so maybe their negative commentary got to me… I don’t know for sure.  So, when I saw that a Rand book was required for my English class, I kind of balked at reading it.  I was ready to not give Ayn Rand a chance.

In short, I am pretty glad I had to give her a chance (had to as Anthem was required, as I said).  Did I enjoy Anthem?  Yes, I did.  This is the long of it:

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I need a Time Turner…

I have been busy.  I am kicking school’s butt (3.9-ish GPA as of the midterm)–instead of the other way around–but it’s been keeping me away from the internet and my laptop in general.  Unless I need to write a paper, of course.  A Time Turner would be so great, if such a thing existed.

I was absent from my posting duties last week, and it makes me feel incredibly guilty.  I guess that’s why I am writing this short musing piece.  A nice way to alleviate any guilt I hold, I suppose.

We are reading Anthem by Ayn Rand for my English class, so I am glad to say I will have something to write about when I finish.  This is my first foray into Ayn Rand’s works, and I am enjoying it completely.  I am trying to follow the assignment schedule, and read the chapters as they are assigned.  I am not sure I will be able to stick with that.

I plan on taking part of the Japanese Film Blogathon over at Wild Grounds.  I am contemplating which movie(s) to watch, and I am pretty sure Kikujiro will be the first.  I will post a link somewhere, when I get started so you can see what I think of it.

Yokai Attack!, a review.

I love this book!

It’s that time of year, again: the time when one’s fancy turns to the ghoulish.  I love Halloween, and the feel of the season changing as it comes upon on.  This time of year, I find myself digging out old horror movies (though it’s not a horror, I did just watch Return to Oz, again…it’s pretty scary) and watching all those reality shows featuring “Ghost” or “Haunted” in the title.

Though the subjects of the amazing book–cleverly put together by Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda–aren’t Halloween-based, I couldn’t help but think of using it as a blog post. 

Yokai Attack: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide is essential for any fan of supernatural beings or Japan.  Within the book is a collection of what are, basically, dossiers for certain Japanese yokai (a word that means demon, spirit or monster).  The book is broken down into several categories based on the personality of the creatures within it.

For example the first chapter, “Ferocious Fiends” has a dossier for my favorite of the yokai: the Tengu.  The Tengu are bird-like spirits who inhabit the mountainous areas of Japan.  They are noted swordsmen and, though they can be antagonistic toward humans, can also be quite helpful toward them as well.

The dossier on each creature contains several tidbits of information including: what their name means, what they look like and, most importantly, how one would survive an encounter with one.  In some, there are even explanations about what sorts of actual phenomena can explain the appearances of some yokai.

The research on the yokai is quite thorough, and the artwork–done by Tatsuya Morino–in each of the dossiers is gorgeous.

As a fan of the supernatural, and a huge fan of Japan and it’s culture, this book is quite an awesome example of both.  I received this book for Christmas just after it was release, and constantly find myself going back to it.  I even wrote a paper in English about yokai, and used the book as a reference.  I can’t recommend this quirky book enough!